Chapter 22: The Opportunistic Thief and the Demon’s Dilemma

Consequently, numerous array cultivators had poured immense effort into researching this very aspect.

Yet, to Su Qin, this particular path seemed fundamentally misguided.

After all, terrain was not an immutable constant.

This, then, was the very reason Su Qin had cultivated the Blood Master, whose value, in his estimation, rivaled even that of the Blood Bat.

Leveraging their inherent racial advantages and integrating the unique properties of blood cultivation techniques, a collective of Blood Masters possessed the formidable ability to manipulate a myriad of geological events.

“What? Your mountain protection array boasts inscriptions inlaid with spirit jade? Even its most fundamental array scripts are triple-encrypted?”

“My apologies, but I have no inclination to decipher it. Perhaps you can explain your predicament to my impending ground collapse instead.”

At this juncture, no one remaining on the field possessed the capability to form another array.

The base of this sinkhole topography was riddled with numerous hollows; there, Blood Bats formed arrays to amplify gravity, bolstering the formation, while Blood Masters burrowed through the rock structure to deploy explosive arrays, collaboratively triggering a massive ground collapse.

Caught entirely off guard, the very ground plummeted abruptly by over a hundred meters. This startling effect was wrought by merely tens of thousands of blood beasts; theoretically, a force of millions could unleash even an earthquake.

“You upstart Demonic Sects!” Qi He bellowed, his voice laced with fury.

In truth, even had Su Qin not initiated the ground collapse, the Azure Mystic Sect’s protective array would not have endured for much longer.

The disciples of the Bone Painting Hall, their forms shimmering with an eerie grey light, had converged, driven by the instinct for survival. Exploiting their intimate knowledge of the Azure Mystic Sect’s vulnerabilities, they had already slaughtered nearly two hundred disciples.

“You curs! You vile Demonic Sect curs!”

Qi He’s eyes were bloodshot, and a fierce, cerulean sword light raged around him as he relentlessly cut down the lurking Demonic Sect spies.

Simultaneously, he brandished his sword, leading his contingent in a furious assault against the Bone Painting Hall’s forces.

Su Qin, however, remained utterly still, his gaze fixed calmly upon the chaotic melee unfolding within the deep valley.

Noticing the rogue cultivators merely spectating from the periphery, Su Qin clicked his tongue.

‘They’ve already collected their equipment, imbibed their spirit liquid, and now they intend to stand idly by? Is such a thing truly appropriate?’

“This old man will offer but a single statement,” Su Qin declared, his voice resonating. “While it is true I liquidated the Bone Painting Hall’s assets, you all were equally complicit in their acquisition.”

His voice remained as robust as ever, yet now, to the ears of the rogue cultivators, it carried an entirely different, more ominous implication.

Having already incurred the wrath of the Bone Painting Hall, the rogue cultivators knew that, given the Hall’s notorious reputation, their leaders would likely refrain from seeking retribution against the two formidable merchants once the dust settled.

Instead, the full brunt of their fury would undoubtedly be unleashed upon the very rogue cultivators who now hesitated.

Moreover, the Azure Mystic Sect had descended into a bloodthirsty frenzy, while the Bone Painting Hall had just suffered a third of its forces decimated, with their Hall Master, Gao Pei, now resembling nothing more than a grotesque donut.

“Brothers,” the thought seemed to echo among them, “could there possibly be a more opportune moment?”

What’s more, what divine ability was that, capable of shattering an entire valley with a single palm strike? Was there truly any need to ponder which side to align with now?

The gaunt Golden Core cultivator, a swift blur, was the first to surge forward. A dull, earthen-yellow light erupted around him, and his body swelled monstrously, transforming him into a hulking, savage bear.

‘Seize the opportunity to amass wealth! Strike while they’re vulnerable, for this is the prime moment to forge our fortunes!’

‘These old foxes (TL Note: A slang term, ‘lao ying bi,’ referring to cunning, experienced, and opportunistic individuals), with such a gaping flaw exposed, it’s time to plunder first and ask questions later!’

A considerable number of the remaining Golden Core cultivators also launched assaults against the Azure Mystic Sect. It was simply the nature of these seasoned opportunists: they would seize any opening they saw, regardless of whose expense it came at.

With the forty percent of Foundation Establishment rogue cultivators having already departed, the remaining ones, their eyes gleaming with avarice, charged forward, unleashing a brutal assault. The valley below reverberated with deafening cries of battle.

“Excellent, excellent,” Su Qin murmured, standing impassively on the mountainside, his ancient, tranquil eyes reflecting the cold indifference of a true demon lord.

“Confound it—!”

Elder Gao let out a pained, guttural roar, his gaze fixed on the heavens. Through the gaping chasm in his chest, one could already discern the landscape beyond, a grim testament to his mortal wound.

His Bone Painting Hall had been decimated, its once-proud array effortlessly shattered by a mere flick of a finger.

Gravely wounded and assailed by an innumerable host of enemies, he now questioned the very purpose of his continued existence.

A single figure materialized in his mind’s eye: Su Qin, the arrogant and incomparably haughty individual who had so abruptly intruded upon the sect assembly that fateful day.

It was a gaze that conveyed the disdain of one observing mere ants from a dizzying height of ten thousand meters.

That very look, coupled with the ingrained arrogance that permeated Su Qin’s being, had deeply wounded Elder Gao, solidifying his resolve to bring about Su Qin’s downfall.

His original plan had been meticulously crafted; had Su Qin not so abruptly stormed into the assembly, the Sect Master would surely have buckled under the immense pressure, meting out punishment, and the Silver Blossom Hall would have been inevitably carved up.

Had Su Qin simply submitted to his fate, none of these subsequent complications would ever have arisen.

Elder Gao’s features twisted into a grotesque snarl, his eyes blazing with an unholy, murderous wrath.

‘Kill! Should the opportunity ever present itself, he would undoubtedly slay Su Qin!’

As for the two formidable experts, Elder Gao dared not even breathe their names, much less entertain any thoughts of vengeance against them.

Jiang Changhe ascended to the mountain’s edge, offering a distant, respectful bow to Su Qin. After a few profound glances, she turned and departed towards the east.

Su Qin naturally observed these gestures, yet offered no response in return.

Mere courage and politeness alone were insufficient to sway the heart of a demon lord.

The scattered earth was stained a gruesome purplish-red by the copious crimson blood. To avoid the collateral damage of the escalating conflict, seventy percent of the blood beasts had already retreated to the Silver Blossom Hall, while the remainder diligently absorbed the spilled blood, striving to enhance their own power.

Su Qin remained quietly observant, his gaze fixed upon the chaotic struggle unfolding at the valley’s depths.

Calculating the grim tally of casualties, he noted that slightly over a thousand combatants remained on the field. Given the shortfall of fifteen hundred required to activate the Immortal Slaying Array, it would now remain dormant, untriggered.

As the most cunning and calculating “old fox” on the battlefield, he was certainly poised to make his move, but he knew he had to bide his time just a little longer.

Abruptly, Su Qin’s expression darkened, and his gaze dropped downwards.

“Such a tender age,” he mused, a hint of amusement in his tone, “yet possessing no small measure of audacity.”

A slight twitch played at the corner of Su Qin’s lips.

His Blood Demon Spirit Body possessed an exceedingly keen sensitivity to spiritual energy, allowing him to perceive Bai Jiaojiao’s movements despite her deployment of a remarkably sophisticated stealth technique.

Bai Jiaojiao, her figure dainty and her demeanor adorably childlike, barely reached Su Qin’s navel. Her large, inquisitive eyes were fixed with unwavering intensity upon his slightly protruding lower abdomen.

‘Hmph, this deceitful merchant must have stashed his treasures right here,’ she thought, her conviction absolute. ‘I saw it with my own eyes; his storage pouch was tucked into his lower abdomen.’

Observing the young girl’s utterly serious gaze fixed upon *that* particular area, a wicked smile slowly crept across Su Qin’s lips.

He had long known of Bai Jiaojiao’s nimble, thieving fingers, which was precisely why he deliberately tucked his storage pouch into a discreet, hidden pocket in his crotch every time he collected payment.

‘Such a young girl, surely she would be hesitant?’ he mused. ‘It must require considerable resolve for her to reach inside, wouldn’t it?’

After all, he was known as the Demon of Lust.

To his surprise, however, Bai Jiaojiao did not hesitate. Instead, she promptly activated a cultivation technique and slipped her hand directly inside.

Su Qin’s expression shifted dramatically.

‘Wait, at such a tender age, can she truly possess such an astonishing level of professional dedication?’

Bai Jiaojiao glanced up at Su Qin, who immediately feigned ignorance. A silent surge of delight filled the young girl’s heart.

“Heh heh,” she thought, a mischievous glint in her eyes, “he still hasn’t noticed. Demon, you mustn’t blame me; your current capabilities simply do not permit you to retain this fortune.”

What, indeed, was her profession?

She was a phantom thief, the renowned Phantom Thief of the Southern Border.

With her mastery of aura perception, aura concealment, and shapeshifting, among other formidable skills, how could she possibly fail to discern the faint demonic aura emanating from Su Qin, or the simple truth that the young girl before her was merely at the Foundation Establishment stage?

‘My aura cultivation technique far surpasses yours!’

‘Nearly two million spirit stones! Never in her life had she encountered such a lucrative opportunity. This was it; no matter where it was concealed, she would extract every single piece!’

‘Such a wealthy magnate, surely even his undergarments must be some sort of magical artifact, right?’

‘These detestable tycoons! Unlike her, who still wore childlike undergarments.’

‘I’ll steal it!’

‘Acquiring this additional item would only be a bonus, but losing it would cause her genuine heartache.’

This particular thieving technique, a rare spatial-type art, was something Su Qin observed with keen interest, a potent covetousness stirring within his heart.

Such an artifact was no longer merely a serendipitous find, but a coveted resource under the stringent oversight of powerful, shadowy figures.

This divine art, perfectly suited for an assassin’s style of combat, would undoubtedly be a premium, pay-to-win item in any game. Yet, Bai Jiaojiao employed it solely for thievery—a truly egregious squandering of heavenly treasures.

Nevertheless, this tendency aligned with her childhood experiences of hunger; lacking a profound desire for power, she merely sought to improve her daily life.

It became apparent that individuals of a certain formidable caliber were silently observing her. Recognizing that he could not afford to exterminate her entirely, Su Qin reluctantly suppressed his murderous intent.

To slay someone and seize their treasures was, after all, an endeavor with a significant cost.

‘Go ahead and search,’ he thought with a smirk. ‘He had long since transferred those items elsewhere. How could he possibly keep something of such explosive potential so close to him?’

‘Once she tires of the futile search, she will simply depart on her own.’

At that very moment, Bai Jiaojiao, positioned beneath him, already had a fine sheen of sweat beading on her forehead.

‘How can it possibly be gone?’ she fretted. ‘I distinctly saw him conceal it right here!’

‘There’s no trace of spatial magic, so how could it have vanished?’ she wondered, a flicker of suspicion. ‘Could it be hidden even deeper within?’

As Bai Jiaojiao extended her hand deeper, reaching towards what felt like an abyss, Su Qin’s body stiffened, and the composure that had previously graced his features visibly evaporated.

‘No, you brazen girl, why are you probing into my Human Seed Pouch (TL Note: A euphemism referring to one’s groin or genitals, implying an intimate and sensitive area.)?’